Serres: two dead in head-on collision

Two people lost their lives in a head-on collision between a passenger car and a truck Friday morning August 7 on the provincial road Amphipoli—Drama, near Paleokomi in Amphipoli Municipality. They were a 43-year-old woman who was a passenger and her 24-year-old son who was driving. Both victims were of Albanian nationality. Their identities are not disclosed.

The injured was the 56-year-old truck driver, who was transported by EKAV ambulance to General Hospital Drama, where he remains hospitalized. At the collision site, Greek Police units, two Fire Service vehicles and EKAV crews deployed, with firefighters undertaking extrication operations. Traffic on the specific section of the road axis experienced temporary problems while rescue operations were underway.

The pre-investigation for the causes of the collision is being conducted by Traffic Police, which will determine the dynamics of the incident. In fatal traffic collision cases the procedure typically includes documentation of the scene, collection of technical evidence from both vehicles and taking statements, with findings transmitted to the competent prosecuting authority. Until this procedure is complete, any attribution of responsibility would be premature and does not follow from currently published information.

According to the Athenian-Macedonian News Agency, which cites Traffic Police, the collision was recorded by a device the truck driver had. According to the same source, the possibility is being investigated that the driver was conducting live streaming on social media at the time of the accident. This element is not an established fact but subject of investigation, and will be determined by the same procedure that will establish the causes of the collision.

The provincial road Amphipoli—Drama is a typical two-way provincial road without a dividing median, a category of roads in which head-on collision is the worst possible outcome, since speeds of the two vehicles add in impact. The mass difference between a passenger car and a truck amplifies the inequality of consequences, which is reflected in the outcome of this particular incident. These data concern the general framework and do not prejudge the findings.

Several questions remain open. The direction in which the two vehicles were traveling has not been announced, the exact time of the incident, nor the health status of the injured beyond that he is hospitalized. Also not disclosed whether the device referenced by the Agency has been seized or whether its content is being used in the file. The two sources do not contradict regarding basic facts; they differ only in emphasis on the recording aspect.

The case is expected to develop with completion of pre-investigation and transmission of the file to prosecution, which will determine whether criminal liability exists. Until then the presumption of innocence fully applies to each person involved. The writing does not reproduce or describe visual material from the scene, as publication of such content adds no journalistic value and affects the victims’ families. Any further information will be incorporated into case flow when officially announced.